If you enjoy it, that's great, but just know that it can actually hinder hypertrophy.

[EDIT]

I have a tendency to read the last post first, so I'll address the first post now with the following question:

Have you seen a chiro or a massage therapist yet? Form is everything and if you correct your form, pain will eventually go away.

BUT, chances are you already have scar tissue and inflexible muscles at best, or at worst, you have developed serious imbalances if you have been lifting wrong for years.

You should, at the very least, get a massage therapist and ask him/her to work on your glutes, external hip rotators (piriformis), lower back, the suboccipital muscles on your neck and your hamstrings (all of these directly affect your hip/lower back flexibility.)

If you are not or have not been diligent with stretching and proper form for years, you must do the suggestion above. The difference will be like day and night.

Also, check the sticky thread and look at the myofascial release thread.

The street argument is retarded. BJJ is so much overkill for the street that its ridiculous. Unless you're the idiot that picks a fight with the high school wrestling team, barring knife or gun play, the opponent shouldn't make it past double leg + ground and pound - Osiris

I had the same problem a year ago, on the left side, I think it started from a teep kick where my leg went too far. nothing the doctors did seemed too help too much. the chiropractor said it had something to do with preasure on some discs or something. the pain finally kind of went away when I returned to training, after having been to 2 different doctors who only prescribed pills and said chiro was useless and expensive, but didn't tell me anything usefull. After my last fight a couple of weeks ago, the pain returned and worse, I haven't been training for two weeks and I'm going to phisycal therapy and it's really helping. But It hasn't gone away yet. You should try what he suggseted and go to a masage therapist. If you find anything that works let me know, I want to be able to train again as soon as posible...

thanks for the advice ... I get massages regularly, but usually concentrated on the neck. come to think of it i used to have similar neck problems that havent returned since the regular massages, so your advice is probably spot on.

Regarding the 2+ hour weight workout, I know it sounds long, but looking at it as a whole it is probably only around 4-5 hours a week ... just compacted into 3 days. The two reasons I compacted the schedule was

(1) to open up more days for aerobic work in an attempt to lower body fat ... I dont like doing aerobic work and weights on the same day
(2) extend recovery time ... which i think is important >40 years old

So far, I'm on track ... my weight is the same and the body fat is coming down. After I get below 10% bodyfat, Ill probably start doing something entirely different.

piwiman:
based on learning here and elswhere this is my plan:
1) pay more attention to form
2) stretch before every workout
3) lower back massages
4) light hyperextensions twice per week
5) use a belt for certain exercises

Ill let you know how it goes. If it doesnt work, I might consider working in some or all of the following:
1) yoga
2) pilates
3) accupuncture

also worth noting is that there are some interesting discussions/research involving the psychological component of back pain ... google this: psychological component of back pain ... biofeedback and hypnotherapy might be some other things to to look into.